The second day of the world cup had two potential easy matches with full ICC nations against 2 associate members.
Personally, I always like to see Associate nations do well in competitions like the World Cup. They have to work hard to get a place and so for them to do well shows their progress and the standard of cricket in those nations improve as time goes on.
However, todays matches were convinicing victories for the full nations.
In the first game, Kenya subsided to 69 all out in 23.5 overs. Only 3 players got into double figures but with a hisgest score of 16, it was a very long way from being a good score. For New Zealand, the best bowler was Hamish Bennet who bowled from wide of the crease to spear in deliveries to the batsmen and finished with 4 for 16. The other bowlers who took wickets were Tim Southee with 3 for 16 and Jacob Oram who had the impressive figures of 2.5-1-2-3.
In reply New Zealand cruised to victory by 10 wickets in 8 overs with Martin Guptill making 39 n.o. and Brendon McCullum making 29 n.o. The one extra thing this victory does give New Zealand as well is a run rate of +7.62
In the second game, Sri Lanka were playing Canada. Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat. Having so may good batsmen in their line-up, Canada had to bowl well to keep them to a reasonable total that Canada could have a chance of chasing. It was not to be and Sri Lanka piled up 332-7 with the main contributions a round 100 off 81 by Jayawardene and 92 off 87 balls from the captain Sangakkara.
The best bowler for Canada was Baidan with figures of 2 for 59.
Canada’s reply got off to a very bad start when Jon Davison, who scored a magnificent hundred against the West Indies in a previous world cup went to the first ball of the second over with the score on 0. At 12 for 3 and then eventually 74-7, there was only going to be one outcome to this match. Sri Lanka bowled Canada out for 122 in 36.5 overs.
The opening bowlers for Sri Lanka were the pick of their attack with Kulasekera having figures of 6-2-16-3 and Perera, 7-0-24-3.
So with these results going as expected, Canada & Kenya are going to have to play better in their remaining games to try to push for a place in the quarter-finals.
Tomorrow’s game sees the holders Australia take on Zimbabwe.
peterjfield 